Technique Rules! - January 2001

Technique Rules! - Part II

This
part is for the more advanced players among you. Maybe you have been
searching for something new (some new approach) in the “world of
arpeggios.” If that is the case – I have just the thing for you!
It’s an idea based upon a phrase extracted from the song “Bird
Dance” from my self-titled Shrapnel album (1999).

I just
expanded that phrase here to 3 octaves to give you a better idea of its
“possibilities”. You will notice that it sounds quite
“classical” even “jazzy” in a way. I wanted to come up with some
fresh and elegant arpeggio ideas when I was making that album (and this
phrase). My intention was to be able to sequence an arpeggio in the same
way like a scale (in groups of 4 notes). But not only that! I wanted to
avoid playing “only” the arpeggio notes (A-major in this case) so I
added some “passing notes”. Notice that every first note played from
a group of 4 is a half step below the “real” arpeggio note. I am
using alternate picking here as a “technique of choice” (it’s too
often that we hear only “swept” arpeggios!) but you can experiment
with pull-off and hammer-on techniques and even with sweeping if you
like!

The
“Bird Dance” phrase is playable applying all the mentioned
techniques so it would actually be a good idea to master it “from all
sides” (because every technique has its own sound, effect and
charm).

In the
second part of the phrase (when I am “going back”) I am juggling
notes a little bit just to make it even more interesting! Speed is not
really an issue here but elegance! Also keep in mind that I tune my
guitar a half step down to E-flat when listening to the MP3 that I
recorded for you at my home.